Windows

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

So how does XCOM: Enemy Unknown compare to the original? Quite frankly, I don’t care. Having played this game for quite some time now I will say that XCOM: Enemy Unknown is an utterly brilliant game in its own right. It’s different, but it’s different in a good way. Is it perfect? No, it has plenty of flaws and things which could be improved. As do all games. But oh god, this game is a lot of fun. I’ve been playing it since it was released, beat the game on ‘normal’ within 2 days and have been doing nothing but Classic Ironman since. I just can’t stop. The game has so much atmosphere, so many little touches I keep noticing, such a lovely destructible environment, such well designed enemies. Some of my friends know my soldiers by name – they get informed when a veteran dies. This game is awesome and I’d strongly recommend at least trying the Demo if you have any interest in strategy games whatsoever.

Фанатов-старообрядцев, скорее всего, ждет разочарование (советую им обратить внимание на Xenonauts). Слишком уж много перемен! Глобальная часть теперь попроще, но «боевка» эволюционировала в верном направлении. XCOM — отнюдь не «рак на безрыбье», которому заранее простили грехи. В этой игре достоинств куда больше, чем недостатков; серия UFO от Altar и копеечная Extraterrestrials ей не конкуренты. Не знаю как вы, а лично я рад, что легендарная стратегия не повторила судьбу Jagged Alliance.

Wenn es um die Atmosphäre geht, schlägt das neue XCOM so manchen Hollywood-Blockbuster. Vor allem die 3D-Szenen im taktischen Spielverlauf tragen zum tollen Feeling bei: Werden Gegner anvisiert, schaltet die Kamera effektträchtig auf Nahaufnahmen um. Da schmerzt es nicht sonderlich, wenn die Missionskarten nicht wie beim Vorbild zufällig generiert, sondern aus einem Pool von fertigen Maps gezogen werden, was auf Dauer zu Wiederholungen führt. Der Druck, die Basis auszubauen, die Forschung voranzutreiben und die Einsatztruppe bestmöglich auszustatten, ist gefühlt sehr hoch. Von wegen „Rundentaktik ist eine trockene Angelegenheit“: Emotional hat mich lange kein Spiel so mitgenommen.

Vergessen wir mal einen Moment lang die konsoligen Menüs sowie die Rumpel-Übersetzung: So viel Spaß hatte ich mit einem Strategiespiel nicht mehr, seit … ja, seit wann denn eigentlich? Heroes 3, glaube ich. Im Vergleich zum knüppelharten und ultra-komplexen Original ist das Remake spielerisch zwar seichter geworden; aber es bewahrt dabei trotzdem jenen einzigartigen XCOM-Charme, jene unwirklich-bedrohliche Stimmung, jenes Gefühl von Verbundenheit mit meinen Soldaten und von Verlust und Wut, wenn mir im »Ironman«-Modus (bei dem mir bloß ein Speicherstand zur Verfügung steht) einer wegstirbt. Und so ganz nebenbei packt mich dieses Spiel auch noch am Hals und flüstert leise in mein Ohr: »Nur noch diese eine Runde, Kumpel, komm schon, du willst es doch auch«. Und ich will.

Enemy Unknown might have taken a few shortcuts, but these digressions are minor in comparison to what else it accomplishes as a game. The focus on meaningful, ambiguous decisions and then the determination to follow through with forced consequences is an achievement of design worthy of praise. In no other game will you command an secret, international organization trying to stop a global alien invasion. In no other game will you direct research, manufacture the technologies you discover into useable equipment for your tactical squads in the field, and then lead those soldiers in battle. In no other game will the strategic choices you make intertwine so integrally with your tactical prowess. It’s a feedback loop between two seemingly disparate genres, and it works. The scope of Enemy Unknown is immense, both thematically and mechanically. In these ways, Enemy Unknown is peerless in modern game design.

Retour gagnant pour XCOM qui parvient à se moderniser sans pour autant trahir l'esprit de son mythique modèle. L'aspect gestion évite l'écueil de la complexité artificielle et les combats ont pour leur part conservé l'éclat de ceux d'UFO : Enemy Unknown tout en se dynamisant sensiblement. Le mélange de ces deux éléments s'avère délicieusement plaisant. Souhaitons donc un beau succès à ce titre qui mérite franchement d'être essayé, puis adopté.

XCOM is a great addition to the strategy genre, complete with an engaging campaign full of tension and challenges. The characters grow in satisfying ways, but the tactical game doesn't ever quite give players enough room to make the most of their abilities.

I mentioned that Enemy Unknown doesn't have much of a plot, and that's true; its skeleton crew of three characters serves no purpose but to give you objectives with little to no dramatic weight. It's almost disappointing, but then Enemy Unknown is the rare game these days that can stand on its own two legs without any help in the narrative department. It's a challenge, but it's the good kind, one that rewards for heavy brainwork and punishes for negligence. It has issues, but it's deep and engrossing in ways most games these days aren't, and it manages to make the upcoming shooter spinoff look even sillier and more irrelevant in comparison.

XCOM: Enemy Unkonwn er absolutt en verdig gjenskaping av en gammel klassiker, og forhåpentligvis kan det være gnisten som setter igang en ny runde med XCOM-spill. Spillets evangelium er de turbaserte kampene som viser hvor moro denne typer spill kan være. Nå som Firaxis satser stort på det håper jeg andre firma vil følge etter. Dette spillet er et lysende eksempel på sjangerens potensial, og både tilhengere av de gamle XCOM-spillene og nye spillere med en smak for taktikk burde kunne finne masse underholdning her.

As mentioned, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is nowhere as good as the original, but then again, beating the original is a very tall order. The game still manages to be a very good and intense turn-based strategy game and it’s a safe recommendation for both newbies and veterans of the genre. Pick up your rifles and jump to the Skyranger people, we have a planet to save!

XCOM is not for everyone, but those who do jump in will love the real emotion and terror the game generates by forcing you to make difficult decisions that have real consequences. It's a constantly progressing, never wavering tale of taking chances and alien invasions that truly resonates. It may not be perfect, but XCOM is not to be missed.